Unusual Valentine's Day Gifts
How to Break from Traditional Offerings on February 14th
Jan 30, 2009 Stephen Allen Christensen
Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, candlelight dinners—on Valentine’s Day, all are wonderful reminders of one’s devotion to a lover or friend…and all are pretty standard fare.
Valentine’s Day provides the perfect opportunity for people to demonstrate that they really pay attention to their partners during the remainder of the year. An unconventional (and unexpected) gift or gesture is far more likely to generate romance than repetitive, time-worn offerings that bring a smile, a peck on the cheek, and a reflexive “thank you.”
The array of potential valentine gift choices is as broad as the interests, hobbies, and pastimes of the recipient. A few simple questions (and a modicum of listening along the way) will usually narrow the field.
Choosing a Better Valentine
A Few Questions to Ponder
- Christmas wasn’t all that long ago. Was there any mention of a hoped-for item that wasn’t beneath the tree or tucked into a stocking?
- What New Year’s resolutions have already been neglected?
- Has someone complained of the winter blahs?
- Are there any significant events coming up (weddings, anniversaries, trips, vacations, etc.)? Valentine’s Day can segue into other important days and show your partner that you’re thinking ahead.
- Has your valentine expressed a desire to try a new hobby, read a new book, visit a new location, or launch into another career?
- What interests does your lover have outside of the workplace?
Valentine Suggestions for Specific Interests
- Gardeners: packets of seeds (get your ideas from those dog-eared catalogs that are probably lying around); indoor growing supplies (it’s time to get started in many areas); new gloves, knee pads, hats, or trowels; gardening books (for locales where it’s still too early to contemplate getting one’s hands dirty)
- Athletes: running shoes, water bottles, sports bras or athletic supporters (a little imagination can almost make them seem sexy); swimming goggles; pedometers; bicycle helmets; tire pumps
- Weight watchers: athletic club memberships; a session or two with a personal trainer; self-motivation books or DVDs; tickets for a vacation to sunnier climes (for the more Machiavellian gift giver)
- Outdoor enthusiasts: binoculars; bird books; fishing or hunting gear (small items—fly line, ear plugs, hooks, etc.—are often neglected at other holidays); hiking guides or maps; ski goggles; magazine subscriptions
- Inveterate shoppers: cash, gift cards, or gift certificates (and a promise to babysit for a whole day)
- Seasonally challenged: seasonal affective disorder is in full swing for some individuals; a light box or a few tanning passes can lift their spirits
- Homemakers: while breakfast in bed is appreciated, most would prefer someone taking over the housework for a day (a week would be better)…and nothing sparks romance like having a bit of energy at the end of a day
- Bookworms: in lieu of acquiring that coveted first edition, consider a membership in a book club or a gift certificate; decorate your lover's favorite reading nook
- Computer geeks: emailed photo albums; gift certificates are a good bet here, too (since NOBODY really knows what these people are thinking)
With a little thought, almost anyone can find a unique—and affordable—Valentine’s Day gift. And certainly the novelty can be incorporated into a traditional offering (imagine an envelope of heirloom tomato seeds secured in the cardholder in a bouquet of roses, a favorite DVD folded into a Valentine’s Day card, or a pair of airline tickets tucked into a box of chocolates).
Valentine’s Day 2009 falls on a Saturday. If all else fails, it’s possible to simply spend the entire day with a loved one this year. Who knows? New-found romance--and some tricks for keeping it alive--might even spill into the rest of the year.
Valentine Rose
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